Hourly-Paid Worker Settlement Against Chicken Processing Plant

PARRIS lawyers obtained a $7,809,600 settlement on behalf of thousands of hourly-paid workers employed at two chicken processing plants in California.

Their employer, one of the largest chicken processors in the poultry industry, required its production line employees to perform daily work tasks off-the-clock, for which they were not paid.

This practice resulted in part because the employer had strict policies requiring its workers to don and doff personal protective equipment (PPE) while off-the-clock. It required all production line employees to wear gloves, smocks, hairnets, earplugs, plastic sleeves, and beard nets. Freezer employees were also required to wear freezer gear and safety glasses.

The employees were required to obtain, sanitize, and put on this equipment before clocking in for the start of their scheduled work shift and before resuming work after meal and rest periods.  They were also required to clock out of their scheduled shift before removing, sanitizing, and putting away this equipment. They were not paid for any of the time they spent putting on their protective equipment, sanitizing it, removing it, and storing it.

The hourly-paid employees additionally were not paid any premium payments as required under California law for missed or shortened meal and rest breaks.

Other notable PARRIS donning and doffing hourly-paid worker class action settlement case results include a $6.75 million settlement against an oil drilling company and a $5 million settlement against a dairy producer.

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